Why I Became A Personal Finance Copywriter
By Hillary Gale
So many of us know exactly what we want to be when we grow up. I have clients who say they knew they wanted to work in finance when they were in elementary school. My brother has known he wanted to be an engineer since high school. Even my dad knew he wanted to be a CPA when he was 11 years old.
Unfortunately, I was not one of those people. When I was a little girl, I would tell people I wanted to grow up to be a farmer. What can I say? I loved animals. Turns out, there’s not a lot of opportunities in farming where I’m from.
But in all seriousness, I had trouble figuring out my path in life and finding my passion in work.
My Journey
I’m a proud daughter of a hard-working CPA and an elementary school teacher. My grandparents and great grandparents were teachers, too. It always seemed like teaching was in my blood. However, I wasn’t completely sold on teaching as a career path. Sure, the vocation is noble. But making money and being able to live comfortably and independently was important to me.
In college, I majored in English because I knew it would give me flexibility and time to figure out my future. Along the way, I decided that teaching was perhaps the most logical path for me after all. I’d already discovered that literature and creative writing are just hobbies, so I earned a Master’s degree in Teaching English as a Second Language, because it allowed me to study language from a scientific perspective while pursuing the end goal of landing a teaching position.
As I began to “scientize” language-learning and understand the value of communicating effectively, I started discovering how I could use my strengths to contribute to society in a meaningful way. It was important to me that I contribute to my community and in virtual spaces in ways that would allow others to reach their full potential. And oftentimes, it’s an unfortunate (but rectifiable) lack of communication skills that prevents people from achieving all they can.
For the first few years of my career, I taught college composition to freshman students. I loved teaching writing with the goal of helping my students to communicate effectively, whether they were in the natural sciences, business, marketing, engineering, or even interior design. I learned that no matter what career you’re in, being a skillful writer is essential to achieving your utmost.
From Writing Teacher To Copywriter
But I couldn’t escape the low salary and soul-sucking hours that teaching requires. I was spending 60-80 hours a week for $40,000 a year, sometimes with little to no job security from semester to semester. And teaching is a wonderful, worthy profession. But let’s be real. $40,000 a year with little room to grow was not going to help me reach my goals.
And so I discovered copywriting. Suddenly a whole world opened up to me. As a copywriter, I would have the ability to own a business, work for myself, and do what I really care about, which is helping those around me achieve their full potential. I could offer my clients the invaluable gifts of great writing and time to do more of what they love and more of what they’re really good at.
Why Personal Finance?
As a copywriter, it was important to me to specialize in one industry so I could become an expert. I firmly believe that a jack of all trades is master of none, and I wanted to make sure my clients were getting the most value for their hard-earned dollars. One way I could do that was to become an expert in the lingo, the research methods, the nitty-gritty, and the hot topics in their industry.
When I discovered this path, writing in the personal finance space was a no-brainer. As I said above, I’m a proud daughter of a hard-working, smart CPA who tried his hardest to instill good financial sense in his children. As a high schooler, I didn’t appear to take much interest in what he had to say. But what he didn’t know at the time was that I was listening to every word and taking note of every habit he practiced.
When I left home, I read personal finance books. I took a personal finance class in college. I listen to personal finance podcasts (my favorite is Bigger Pockets Money Podcast) and read personal finance blogs (check out Mr. Money Mustache if you’re interested!) because I knew that financial security and financial freedom were important pieces to my personal success puzzle.
What I Love About Personal Finance Copywriting
Over the years, I’ve worked in banking, insurance, hospitality, academia, and now entrepreneurship. I’ve come to learn that above all, I love learning. And I’d finally found a way to make money that encompasses my passions:
Writing effectively to communicate
Learning financial literacy to set and reach goals
Helping others achieve their utmost
As an entrepreneurial personal finance copywriter, I get to keep learning every day. I get to use my writing skills in ways that are invaluable to other people. I get to see my clients expand their business and attract their own ideal clients because they’re simply more visible online. And I get to work with other passionate people: personal finance professionals who share my values and want to see other people succeed.
Partner With Me To Achieve Your Utmost
But enough about me. This story is really about you. As a business owner in the financial services industry, you’ve been living your own journey. You have your own reasons for serving your clients, expanding your business, and contributing your strengths to better your community.
I’m here to help you realize your vision. I’m here to help you double down on your marketing strategy and increase your inbound marketing leads. If you know the value that great content and great copy can bring not just to your business, but to the lives of your current and potential clients, it’s time to partner with a copywriter who shares that passion.
When you’re ready to discuss your goals, your vision, and your marketing strategy, give me a call at 480-353-1608, email me at hillary@galecreativeagency.com, or visit galecreativeagency.com to learn more about how I can help you develop great content for your business and your clients.